Refrigerating apparatus



April 7, 1936.

H. B. HULL 7 ,5 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 14, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l 74 gnua 11 T01:

April 7, 19360 Bf HULL 2,036,755

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed y 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ih [n O a R O \h H g; I Ju-ucnfoc prifl 7 1., H B. HULL 36,755

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 14, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 P 9 1936. H. B. HULL M 9 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 14, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Apr. 7, 1936 .UNITED- STATES "PATENT OFFICE Application July 14, 1928, Serial No. 292,665

'1 Claims.

invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to a mechanical refrigerating apparatus provided with means for insulating objectionable noises produced by said aprnratus.

. An object of this invention is to provide a re duced' within the enclosure.

Another object of this invention is to mount a; reciprocating compressor in such a manner that the transmission of vibrations to the cabinet is greatly reduced.

l urther objects and advantages of the present invention" will be apparent from the iollowing description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred term of the invention is clearly shown.

in the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view oi a cabinet embody- 'i leatures of my invention;

his. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fi i;

dig. 3 is 'a" vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. t is a vertical cross-sectional view en along the line 4-4 or Fig.1;

l ig. t is a somewhat diagraatic vertical cross-sectional view of a modified iorm embody- I log ieatures of my invention; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view oi the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.

d refrigerating apparatus embong ieatures oi invention may comprise a mechanical refrigerant liquefying unit generally designated as This unit may include certain s which in general may be moving or sound-producing liquefying parts such as an electric motor it and a compressor 22- in this particular embodent. The electric motor ii is adapted to drive the compressor 22, for instance, by means oi the belt 23. The compressor 22 is adapted to deliver compressed refrigerant through the pipe 24 to the condenser 25 where the refrigerant is liquefied and from which it is delivered through the pipe 26 to the receiver 21. From the receiver 21 the refrigerant may be delivered through the pipe 28 to a cooling unit hereinaftento be more fully described. The refrigerant after being evaporated in the cooling unit is returned to the compressor, for instance, through the pipe 29, as in my application S/N 183,480, filed April 13, 1927.

A unit of the typehereinbefore described is liable to produce objectionable noises, and for this reason I have provided a sound-insulating enclosure for the moving or sound-producing parts of said unit. This enclosure may comprise suitable sound-deadening walls 30, 30a, and 52. One or more of the walls may be provided with means for permitting the circulating of air through the compartment. For instance, the wall 30a may be provided with a passage 3i leading from the compartment and a passage 32 leading to the compartment. These passages permit the blower 33 to circulate air through the compartment in order to cool the moving parts such as the motor and the compressor. In circulating air through the compartment, the blower 33 may also draw the air through the condenser 25 in order to cool the condenser. 1.: noisev absorbing properties of the walls are suificient toprevent the reflection of noises through the one or more openings provided for the circulation of air. The walls are of such a cacter as toprevent resonance to be produced the cabinet or machine compartment.

The blower it may have either its intake zone or its outlet acne substantially connected to one 35 of the passages it or 32 leag into or out of the sound insulated enclosure, so that circulation oi air into and out oi the enclosure is positive. Thus the inlet none or the blower is substantially connected with the inlet passage 32 to and insures a positive circulationoi outside air through the enclosure.

The construction is such that the noises produced by the machinery are absorbed by the walls. Thus no noises are reflected from the walls. Ii there are any openings in the machinery compartment only noises coming directly from, the machinery can pass through the openings. No noises arereflected through the openings. Un-

.der some conditions the passage of these slight to direct or unreflected noises through the one or more air passages may be practically insumcient to render the operation of the machine audible and the air passage or passages may then he left entirely open. One of the conditions when this to may be done is when the air passage or passages are placed in the rear of the machine compartment of the cabinet and the compartment is placed near a wall of the room in which the compartment is located. However, under some conditions it may be desirable to prevent even the practically inaudible direct or unrefiected passage of noises through the air opening or openings. In order to prevent the direct or unreflected passage of noises produced by the moving parts through the air passages 3| and 32, mufiiing means may be provided in these air passages. One of said air passages, for instance 32, may be muiiled by structures of the condenser itself. For this purpose the condenser 25 may be provided with bailies 34 and 35 producing a tortuous passage through the pipes of the condenser and preventing the passage of sound out through said condenser. Another of said air passages, for instance 3i, may be provided with any other suitable air muiiling means. One such means may comprise a series of zigzag baiiles 38 placed in parallel relation which are adapted to prevent the transmission of noises along with the air flowing out between the bailles 36. These bailles may be mounted upon upper and lower plates 31 and, 38 respectively which are adapted to cover the passage 3|, the lower plate for instance being bent up as at 39 in order to form a complete passage for the air.

While certain types of mechanism do not require the passage of air into and out of the machinery compartment and these may be completely enclosed according to my invention, certain other types may require this circulation. When the air opening is left unmuffied under certain conditions, the sounds are practically inaudible in a machine embodying features of my invention. For instance, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the machine compartment may have walls with a surface of sound-insulating material of the type herein described, and an opening Ill may be provided for the circulation of air into and out of the compartment 'Il adapted to contain the moving parts of a refrigerating system. If desired, though not necessarily, the cabinet 12 may be placed adiacent a wall 13 of the room or building in which the refrigerator is placed, in such a manner as to leave a clear opening to the atmosphere. The cabinet may be provided with a hinged door 14 for access to the machinery. All of the walls of the compartment II, including the door 14, may be provided with noise absorbing material of the character herein described, leaving only the unobstructed air opening Ill toward the wall 13. If desired, the food compartment 16 may be placed above the machine compartment H.

This mechanical refrigerant liquefying unit together with its sound-insulating or deadening enclosure need not necessarily be mounted within or form part of a complete mechanical refrigerating cabinet as herein illustrated, but may be otherwise disposed in relation to the food compartment. The unit may be mounted'in any suitable compartment of the cabinet when desired, and, in the embodiment shown, it is mounted at the top of the cabinet on a thermal insulating partition 40 which at the same time is a sound-deadening partition. If desired, the cooling unit may be mounted beneath this partition MI and may extend into the cooling compartment 4| which is suitably insulated by the walls 42. The cooling unit may be of any suitable type and is herein shown as of the "expansion type which is provided with a suitable expansion valve and with coils which may be passed around suitable ice tray receiving compartments, as shown.

In order to describe the apparatus more fully, other details are hereinafter mentioned. The sound-insulating walls 30, 30a, and 52 may be made of any suitable material. The material may be a fluffy, comminuted or other material presenting a surface or body adapted to absorb, dampen, or prevent the passage of noise. This material may be applied in any manner. It may be compressed or compacted, or confined to any suitable degree either before or during application. It may be compressed into a sheet, packet or board-like form and applied around the moving parts of the machinery in any desired manher. In this particular embodiment the material may be an exploded wood pulp compressed sufficiently to be self-sustaining in a board-like form. In order to prevent fibers from flying through the mechanism, these boards may be coated with aluminum base paint. These boards may be about one-half inch thick. Some of these boards may be placed in suitable notches 50 formed in the frame-work of the cabinet. Suitable channel irons 5| may be provided on these boards for receiving the wall 30a. A top sound-insulating wall 52 may be made to rest on top of the other walls and on the frame-work of the cabinet. This wall may be made removable for access to the refrigerating machinery. If desired, the back of the cabinet may be provided with a horizontal piece 53 which is part of the frame-workand over which the refrigerating machinery mounted on the partition. 40 may be inserted along with the cooling unit which is also attached to the partition 40. Thus the partition 40 is adapted to rest on the member 53 and on side members 54 placed at the same elevation as the member 53. If desired, the members 54 may be providedwith guiding rails 55 for preventing lateral displacement of the partition 40. The front of the part tion 10 may abut against a gasket 56'placed on the horizontal member 58 of the frame-work. A suitable door 59 may be provided for the cooling compartment 4|. As shown, the compressor and motor are mounted on a resilient platform 60 which permits vibrations in the mechanism without transmitting them to the cabinet.

The sound insulation may be removable and capable of assembly in any suitable manner. shown, boards 30, 30a, and 52 are insertable and removable in their proper notches or other attaching places. However, these boards may be attachable and removable in any suitable manner.

The sound insulating material may be in any suitable form. Thus, in this particular embodiment, it may be sound insulating material encased in a suitable cover to make a unit in the form of a board. The sound insulating material is thus made readily removable or insertable in place. The cover for the insulating material may sustain or may be sustained by the insulating material. In this particular embodiment the insulating material sustains a cover of aluminum paint to form a sound insulating unit in the form of a board.

The sound insulating material may be made insertable along the interior of the metal casing. As shown, it is spaced from the metal casing. but, if desired, it may be immediately adjacent to the metal casing, and, in fact, may be supported thereon.

By coating the sound insulating material with aluminum paint, a surface is presented which prevents lint or the like from flying off of the sound insulating material. Any means adapted to prevent the lint from flying without impairing the sound deadening character of the surface may be substituted. The surface presented to the sound is of a sound rebound checking character.

The aluminum paint also renders the sound insulating board of a fireproof nature. This is an advantage additional. to the lint retaining and sound absorbing features.

In the operation of the device, air is drawn through the passage 6| between the baffles 34 and 35, passes over the baflie 34 and through the passage 32 into the sound-insulating enclosure heretofore described. Here the air circulates around the motor M and the compressor 22, cooling them and from thence passes through the passage 3|! through the sound-mufiling means formed by the.

baffle 36 and on out into the atmosphere. Because of the sound-insulating character of the walls 30, 3!, 40, and 52 and because of the muffling character of the baiiies 3d, 35, and 36, sounds produced in the enclosure are prevented from passing out into the surrounding atmosphere. For this reason a very silent mechanical refrigerating apparatus is produced.

As shown, the compressor 22 is mounted at an angle with the cylinder") turned from the vertical position. By so mounting the compressor the height of the cabinet is reduced and also the character of vibrations is rendered less objection able than when the cylinder is placed in a vertical position. The vibrations are not liable to be transmitted so readily to the cabinet. Portions of the refrigerant line are flexible in order to permit relative movement between the compressor and other parts of the system.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow What is claimed is as fol ows:

l. A mechanical refrigerant liquefying unit in.

cluding an electric motor, compressor, aircooled condenser and blower, a sound-insulating enclosure for said motor and compressor provided with sound muffled air passages permitting circulation of air by said blower past said condenser and through said enclosure, one of said sound muffled air passages being formed by battles, in said condenser.

2. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet having a machinery compartment, a reciprocating compressor resiliently mounted in said compartment and other parts of the system rigidly mounted, and a flexible refrigerant connection in said system between said compressor and said other parts, the reciprocation of said, compressor being at an apute' angle to the vertical, the height of said compartment being less than the length of said compressor along the line of its reciprocation.

3. A refrigerating apparatus wherein the mechanical moving parts are encased in a sound insulated compartment including a porous boardlike material coated with paint.

4. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet provided with a cooling unit in a cooling compartment and a mechanical refrigerant liquefying unit in another compartment, said mechanical refrigerant liquefying unit including an electric motor, compressor, air-cooled condenser, a blower for circulating 'air past said condenser, a sound insulating enclosure for said motor and compressor, openings in said enclosure permitting the circulation of air by said blower past said condenser and into and out of said enclosure, said enclosure including sound damping walls permitting said circulation of air, said blower having an intake zone and an outlet zone, one of said zones being substantially connected to one of said enclosure openings.

5. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet provided with a cooling unit in a cooling compartment and a mechanical refrigerantliquefying unit in another compartment, said mechanical refrigerant liquefying unit including an electric motor, compressor, air-cooled condenser and blower, a sound insulating enclosure for said motor andcompressor provided with sound muffled air passages permitting circulation of air by said blower past said condenser and through said enclosure, one of said sound muffled air passages being formed by baflies in said condenser. 6. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a cabinet provided with a. cooling unit in a cooling compartment and a mechanical refrigerant liquefying unit in another compartment, said mechanical refrigerant liquefying unit including an electric motor, compressor, air-cooled condenser, a blower for circulating air past said condenser, a sound insulating enclosure for said motor and compressor, openings in said enclosure permitting the circulation of air by said blower past said condenser and into and out oi. said enclosure, said enclosure including sound damping walls permitting said circulation of air, said blower having an intake zone and an outlet zone, one of said zones being substantially connected to one of said enclosure openings, and sound muiiiers in said openings.

. 7. A refrigerator comprising a cabinet having I front, rear and side walls forming a cabinet of substantially rectangular horizontal cross-section, an intermediate partiti on dividing said cabinet into a machinery compartment and a food compartment below said machinery compartment, a heat absorber in said food compartment and a refrigerant liquefying unit in said machinery compartment, a door for said food compartment in said front wall; said rear wall having an opening through which said heat absorber may be laterally moved and affording air circulation through said machinery compartment, a removable closure for said machinery compartment, and sound absorbing means in said machinery compartment.

HARRY B. HULL. 

